Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is using the Sept 11 terrorist attacks on the United States to justify the Internal Security Act detentions against members of the opposition here, said the Barisan Alternatif Youth today.

"The attack on the World Trade Center seems like a reason for Mahathir to associate the BA with violence," said a joint statement issued by the coalition's Negeri Sembilan Youth chiefs.

"The BA is a legitimate political coalition and rejects any kind of violence and we hold true to democracy and the constitution," the statement added.

The statement was issued by state PAS Youth chief Hishamuddin Sulaiman, state Keadilan Youth chief Jaafar Mohamad and the BA Youth secretariat secretary Badrul Hisham Shaharin at Keadilan's Seremban headquarters.

Yesterday, police announced a fresh ISA swoop of six individuals from Perak, Kedah and Kelantan for allegedly being members of the Malaysian Mujahidin Group (KMM). Among them was Hazami Ishak, a known PAS member.

On Sept 24, nine alleged members of the KMM, including the son of Kelantan Mentri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat were sent to the Kamunting detention centre in Perak to serve a two-year detention.

No evidence

Keadilan's Jaafar said that an analogy can be drawn between the Sept 11 attacks and the use of ISA by the Malaysian authorities.

"The US began bombing Afghanistan without any evidence of Osama bin Laden being responsible for the attacks and now Mahathir is just arresting people under the ISA without providing evidence," he said.

"The BA would be defenceless against the ISA this way," added Jaafar.

In April, the controversial security law which allows for detention without trial, was invoked against 10 Keadilan leaders and reformasi activists for allegedly planing to overthrow the government through militant means.

Four have since been released while the rest are serving a two-year detention at Kamunting.

Unjustified attack

Meanwhile, PAS Youth chief Hishamuddin criticised the military assault against Afghanistan as a violation of human rights.

"The US has acted violently and without proper justification and they have been continuously bombing the innocent people of Afghanistan," he said.

The state Youth leaders also announced that they were planning a mass prayer at the state mosque for the people of Afghanistan.

US and British forces began bombing Afghanistan late Sunday following the repeated refusal by the country's ruling Taliban to extradite "prime suspect" Osama bin Laden.

Osama, a Saudi born millionaire, is accused of masterminding the Sept 11 attacks which collapsed the World Trade Center in New York and damaged the Pentagon in Washington.